Submerge (2017)
 
Oil, wood, resin
49.5 x 38 in
 
Ruben created this piece to express the feeling of being beneath the waves, surrounded by the ocean. Floating peacefully in fetal-position, bathing in the light as it glows in the shallow ocean waters, she will eventually emerge, reborn. 
 
Submerge is one of four in a series called the Sratalux Paintings, meaning "layers of light." These paintings were inspired by the technique Ruben developed to paint his carvings. 
 
I start with a textured surface that I paint with oil paints, once the paint has dried I flood the surface with a layer of artist quality resin. After the resin cures, I sand the surface and add the next layer of paint and again flood the surface with resin. I repeat this process as many times as necessary adding layers of resin as needed. The final result gives the painting depth and a more dimensional feel, and then a final layer of resin gives the artwork a glassy finish. This process is something that I developed in my art studio and am planning on creating many new paintings exploring the possibilities of this new technique.
- Ruben Aira Jr.